Suction-tread.



Jv. R. SANFORD. SUGTION TRBAD. PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 9.

989,514. y n Patented @L11-1911] nunmal! 'U Tn nc sfrarns JOSEPH R. SANFORD, OF SALISBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE FLEXIBLE RUBBER GOODS COMPANY, 0F SALISBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

',SUCTION-TREAD.

useful Improvements in Suction-Treads, of

which the following is a act'description. y

My invention relates to shoe treads, and is concerned particularly with improved means to. prevent slipping.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichf Figure l'is' a plan view of a shoe tread showing the invention applied to the sole and heel thereof.. Fig. 2 is'a view similar to Fig. l showingthe invention applied only full, clear, and ex;

.to the heel. Fig. 43 is a cross section on the line 3..-3 Fig. 2.

The invention contemplates broadly the provision of a plurality of suction cups at the tread surface of the tread, which, when compressed by the weight of the wearer, afford a secure grip upon the surface of the ground, owing to the lsuction effect produced by such pressure.

It has been found in piactice that vif the entire weight of the wearer is borne by the suction cups without other support, said cups wear away with undue rapidity and are sometimes entirely broken off. At the same time, if auxiliary support is provided in the ordinary manner, the suctionaction of the cups is lost to a large extent. To obviate these defects, the tread l is'provided with a plurality of suction cups 2 having the sockets 3, which sockets preferably eX- tend well into the bod of the tread, as indicated at 4, Fig. 3. urrounding the area occupied bythe suction cups and prefer-f ably at the perimeter of the tread isa'supporting rim 5, which, as shown in FigqA, is of less height than the cups 2. Said rimalso has a fiat tread surface of considerabletransverse area to `take the bruutof the wear, and this surface may -be widened somewhat, as

for example at 5, at the rear of the heel, or

` Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 11, 1911. Application led November 8, 1909. Serial No. 526,741.. n Y

at 52v at theextremity of the toe, to take eX- cessive wear. By'this construction the initial pressure due to the weightof the wearer is borne by the suction cups and serves to compress the same in the usual manner to effect the gripping action. Furthermore, pressure upon the tread brings the excessive weight to bear upon the rim 5, which therefore acts as an additional support, and, in

fact,l takes the brunt of the wear, This supporting rim furthermore being located at or adjacent to the perimeter of the tread acts as a. lateral support when more pressure is brought upon one side of the tread than the other, thereby preventing undue distortion of the suction cups and effecting considerable economy in the wear thereof.

The inner walls of the'rim 5 are madel more or less` abrupt, as indicated at 6, Fig;

il, in order to afford a more effective grip"Ay ping action, and 1n the heel tread, in Wliicli .l `Y

the rim' 5 preferably entirely surrounds the area occupied by the suction cups, the abrupt walls of the rim 5 serve to form a suction recess of considerable area surround- `ing and acting in conjunction with the suction recesses of the cups.

IVhile I have herein described particular embodiments of my 1nvention,.1t is to be liinderstood that the same may be varied in` cle-,- tail and arrangement of parts without deA parting from the spirit and scope thereof.-

What I claim is:

l. A shoe tread` comprising a body por-` l tion having a plurality of suction cups projectin therefronnand a lateral supporting `rim o less depth than said cups and entirely surrounding the same, said rim having a Hat tread surface and having abrupt inner vttalls` to forma suctionrecess aroundsaid cups'. Y 2. A shoel'ftrea'd, comprising a vbody portion having a suction cup projecting there from Vand a lateralsupporting rim of less depth than saidfiipand entirely surroundi ing the same, saidirimhaving afiat tread surface and having abrupt innerfwalls to forma suction recess around said cup.

3. 4A shoe tread comprising a body poralso having abrupt inner Walls `and extendtion having a plurality of suction cups proing entirely ai-Ound the tread to form a sucjecting therefrom, a lateral supporting rim tion recess around said cups.

of less depth than said cups and extending JOSEPH R. SANFORD. 5 along the edge of the tread, said rim having Witn'esses: .v

a widened portion to take excessive Wear DONALD J. WARNER,

and having a Hat tread surface, said rim HOWARD F. LANDON. 

